The present invention generally relates to mobile device positioning, and more specifically, to updating a wireless-based location records database to provide more accurate indoor positioning.
A global positioning system (GPS) is commonly used by mobile devices, such as smartphones, to determine the location of the mobile device. While such commercially available GPS systems can provide meter-level location accuracy in open environments, GPS signals are often ineffective for indoor positioning as GPS signals will be attenuated and scattered by indoor environments. Accordingly, positioning technology based on Wi-Fi, RFID, acoustic signals and the like have been developed for more accurate indoor positioning. Wi-Fi indoor positioning systems typically operate based on a wireless-based location record (which may alternatively be referred to as “fingerprints”) positioning method that involves mapping wireless access point (WAP) signals strengths (“wireless-based location record database”) for a plurality of locations during a setup phase that is manually performed. The location of a wireless device can then be determined by comparing the signal strengths of the WAPs detected by the wireless device to the map of wireless-based location records. However, because the detected signal strengths (and thus the accuracy of the Wi-Fi positioning system) are affected by changing environmental factors such as the layout of a room, it is often necessary to periodically update the wireless-based location records database.